Cornhusker to coach: 49ers Tom Rathman thankful for his good luck

Rathman, the former San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl-winning fullback -- and its current running backs coach -- is not the type of guy to promote his own accomplishments. Instead, he credits his coaches, hard work and good luck for his success.

For example, during the 1989 season, Rathman -- who caught just five passes in college playing under Tom Osborne's ground attack at the University of Nebraska -- had 73 pass receptions for San Francisco. That was just nine fewer balls than Jerry Rice's total, and 13 more than John Taylor.

Rathman punctuated that great season by rushing for two touchdowns and picking up 81 combined rushing and receiving yards in the Niners 55-10 thrashing of the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV.

Despite his personal accomplishments and the team's Super Bowl victory, Rathman said, "I've had a lot of good luck. You never know when the next opportunity is going to come, so you've got to make the most of your opportunities."

Rathman, who finished his nine-year NFL career -- eight with the 49ers -- with 544 rushes for 2,020 yards, and 320 receptions for 2,684 yards and 34 touchdowns, was the celebrity guest speaker for the 27th annual Humboldt State Athletics Celebrity Dinner and Sports Auction on Saturday.

Not bad for a blue collar fullback and unsung hero whose primary jobs were clearing holes for running backs like fellow Cornhusker Roger Craig and protecting quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young from blitzers.

The 1988 season was Rathman's third with San Francisco -- who drafted him in the third round in 1986 -- and the Niners edged Cincinnati 20-16 in Super Bowl XXIII on Montana's TD pass to Taylor with 34 seconds remaining.

It was also Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh's final year with the team.

Walsh, according to Rathman, deserves credit for how he treated people as well as for the Niners' championships.

"I don't know that there's a better human being," said Rathman. "He was a great man, very caring towards his players.

"We had a standard in place -- really it was Bill's standard -- that helped us play at a high level."

And when it comes to successful football programs, Rathman is not only thankful he played for Walsh, but also gave a pat on the back to his Grand Island Senior High School head coach Ken Fischer.

"I've got to give a lot of credit to Coach Fisher," said Rathman. "He had a standard in place and we won the state championship my sophomore year. I was given the chance to do everything I can."

With coaches like Walsh, Osborne and Fischer preparing and influencing Rathman, when did he realize he wanted to be a coach?

"I knew I wanted to be a coach early in my (NFL) career, probably the second or third year," said Rathman. "I had a great passion for the game."

Rathman, who is in his second stint as running backs coach with San Francisco, and has also worked in that capacity with the Detroit Lions and Oakland Raiders, thinks there are several key ingredients to winning football.

"You play good fundamentals and take care of the little things," said Rathman. "And you take it one week at a time."

Among Rathman's coaching success stories was helping to convert Bruce Miller, the University of Central Florida's all-time sack leader as a defensive end, to a NFL fullback.

In addition to his blocking assignments, Miller caught 11 passes, three for first downs and one -- in the 49ers 19-11 November road win over the Redskins -- for a touchdown.

"I thought Miller did a great job, and he was really playing at a high level," said Rathman.

And when it comes to a week at a time, the 49ers running back coach is eager for the upcoming NFL season.

San Francisco recently signed former New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs to help out Frank Gore, the 49ers all-time rushing leader.

"He's a big 'ol boy, 6-4, 264, and you put that type of player in your offense, with Frank Gore -- who can do it all -- and a guy like Kendall Hunter, who's a change of pace runner," said Rathman. "I'm looking forward to it."